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What She Left Behind

AS A PAKISTANI CANADIAN I READ WITH great interest your coverage of Benazir Bhutto and Pakistan [Jan. 14]. While I sincerely condole her untimely and fiery death, I must agree with William Dalrymple that her legacy was "mediocre." Far from being a martyr for freedom and democracy, she chose to live a life of luxury in self-imposed exile--in distant Dubai. Although she was Prime Minister of Pakistan twice, she did little to improve the conditions of the masses, particularly those of women and the poor. Jalaluddin S. Hussain BROSSARD, QUE.

BHUTTO'S RETURN TO PAKISTAN was regarded by many as the force needed to bring Pakistan back to the path of democracy. The sad truth is, there is nothing democratic about Pakistan's so-called democratic parties. Every election time, leaders assure us that they will make the changes they failed to carry out the last time they were in office. I think that Bhutto's assassination, though unfortunate, will probably bring more change to Pakistan's political process than a third tenure as Prime Minister would have. Amna Mansur Khan, ATLANTA

BHUTTO'S ASSASSINATION HIGHLIGHTS once more the deep contradiction between the U.S.'s stated aim of advancing democracy around the world and our actual practice of backing friendly dictators like President Pervez Musharraf when we think it suits our interests. The Bush Administration will retreat to its codependent relationship with the dictator, regarding him as the only remaining bulwark against a Taliban-style fundamentalist theocracy armed with nukes, and probably flirt no further with notions of a truly democratic Pakistan. These chickens will one day come home to roost. Mark C. Eades OAKLAND, CALIF.

I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT the cover read, "Why We Need to Save Pakistan." Haven't our experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan proved that our presence has accomplished little or nothing, made more enemies throughout the world and cost trillions of dollars? It's about time we stopped sacrificing American lives for impossible causes. Ed Jacobson, WHITING, VT.

BHUTTO, LIKE HER FATHER, CONNECTED with Pakistan's downtrodden masses. She represented the hopes and aspirations of the country's poor and disenfranchised. For millions of her followers, her inability to deliver really did not matter. In a country ruled by inept, corrupt generals, Bhutto was an icon of defiance and courage. In death she has become larger than life. Her indefatigable struggle for democracy and willingness to take the obvious risks overrode much of the paradox that is implied in the article. Seemingly fragile yet politically astute and daring, Bhutto will continue to be a potent force in Pakistan's troubled political landscape. Mushtaq Ahmed, DYER, IND.

PAKISTAN NEEDS MUSHARRAF'S STRONG leadership to weather the political backlash as Bhutto supporters try to link him to a supposed plot to kill her. Accusing him of plotting Bhutto's death is wrong. Cars have been burned, and Musharraf symbols have been destroyed out of hatred and anger. Martial law might be needed to prevent total chaos in the nation. Extremists must not be allowed to win the day upon the body of Bhutto. Crystal Dueker, FARGO, N.D.

The Many Sides of Mitt

RE JOE KLEIN'S "A TALE OF TWO ROMNEYS": It sounds like Mitt Romney has us all confused as to who the real Mitt is [Jan. 14]. As a Democrat-leaning independent, I was willing to overlook Romney's Republican ways because of what he accomplished in private business, with the Utah Olympics and as governor of Massachusetts. But his seesawing pegs him as a politician desperate for any and all votes. He's trying to be what most marketers learned long ago doesn't exist: a product that satisfies all the people all the time. Romney would be better off expressing his convictions and having people's respect, if not their 100% agreement. Rosemary Rokita, HARRIETTA, MICH.

KLEIN MADE ROMNEY OUT TO BE MORE dishonest and empty at his core than his rivals. All the candidates try to be all things--or at least most things--to all audiences. While Klein made some excellent observations, he failed to back up his assertion that Romney's campaign is uniquely deceptive. With "A Tale of Two Romneys," we got the best and the worst of Klein. Bruce Rider, GRAPEVINE, TEXAS

Ethical Executions?

IF SOCIETY WANTS AND NEEDS CAPITAL punishment, executions should be as painless as cataract surgery or baptism [Jan. 14]. Hanging, electrocution, firing squad and lethal injection all have aspects that are cruel to both criminals and those responsible for carrying out the execution. Russell Crom, MOUNT PROSPECT, ILL.

SHOULD TIMOTHY MCVEIGH BE SITTING IN a prison cell watching TV for killing 168 people and injuring 850 in Oklahoma City? No, he deserved to die. People want to fix what isn't broken and not fix what is broken. What is broken is the justice system that allows appeals to go on from 10 to 30 years. It is a system devised by lawyers, the only ones who benefit from it. Attacking the use of the chemical solutions is just one more excuse to end the death penalty. We need the death penalty to protect our policemen and the most vulnerable in our society. Allan Gillingham, GILBERT, ARIZ.

I WAS SURPRISED THAT THERE WAS NO mention of the many people who have been sentenced to death but proved innocent later. Some were exonerated and spared the death penalty, but many were not. I don't believe you would find a penal system that is any better than that in the U.S., but it is still far from perfect. The death penalty does not keep people from committing murder, and your article showed that it doesn't cost less than life imprisonment. It should be abolished. Sherry Weaver, ELKHART, IND.

Hooked on The Wire

THANK YOU FOR JAMES PONIEWOZIK'S article on hbo's The Wire [Jan. 14]. As a loyal fan of the TV show since the first season, I am so pleased to see it receiving its due credit. As other, less deserving shows collect all the accolades, The Wire consistently delivers brilliant writing and an insightful look into race, class and politics in urban America. While so many TV shows are empty-headed and shallow, The Wire's complex characters and plots force viewers to think about U.S. society. Perhaps this is why this show isn't as popular as it deserves to be. Jenny C. McGrath NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J.

Merit vs. Mediocrity

RICHARD CORLISS'S RECENT SUGGESTIONS in "How to Save the Awards Shows" were shameful [Jan. 14]. Any intelligent film reviewer knows that the best films and the most popular flicks are usually light-years apart in quality. Are the Academy Awards about honoring good filmmaking, or are they about trolling for viewers for the telecast? Shouldn't everyone be more concerned that the better films of the year get the attention they deserve? Stephen J. Miller, ORLANDO, FLA.

IF THE OSCARS CAN BE FAULTED FOR ANYthing, it's not for nominating obscure movies. Perhaps at its inception, popular films had the greatest artistic merit. But in a year in which intellectually devoid, flashy crowd pleasers (like 300 and Transformers) and crude, idiotic, supposed comedies (like Wild Hogs and Rush Hour 3) were among the highest-grossing films, how can Corliss justify suggesting that the awards go to more popular films? Discounting Ratatouille, you have to scroll way down the rankings to find anything that warrants consideration--like Charlie Wilson's War, No Country for Old Men and Juno. Moneymaking could be considered an art and a science, but I doubt that's what is meant by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Christopher Bruno, RAHWAY, N.J.

THE AUDIENCE-FRIENDLY AWARDS SHOW that Corliss fantasizes about already exists. It's called the People's Choice Awards. Dewey Webb, PHOENIX

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